Runaway
by Unknown08
Summary: My second Taiora. uhh...can't really write a summary. Please Read and Review.


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Chapter 1-Runaway

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Ok, since the test chapter did ok, I'm gonna post the rest of the story. Thanks to the few who reviewed "Easier to Run". This chapter goes out for you. I'll once again try to use the Japanese names and some terms. Ok, let's get the disclaimer out of the way and begin.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of its characters.

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Prologue

Whoever said "Life's a bitch" had no idea how true that statement was. For Yagami Taichi, life had lost its meaning. The former leader of the Digidestined had lost his spark, his fire......his love. On the past Christmas Eve, Taichi had decided to tell his best friend, Takenouchi Sora, the strong and deep feelings he had developed her over their adventures. Oh, how many times that moment played in his mind.

(I'm using the dub scene. No idea of the original scene)

"Hey, Sora wait up." Taichi called to her as she stood outside of Yamato's room.

Sora turned to look at him. "Oh hi, Taichi." She then turned slightly to hide a box that she carrying.

Gabumon, a short, stout dinosaur-like creature, appeared at the door. "Yamato's busy right now," said Gabumon ,"but I'll give the cookies to him later." The Digimon glanced over at the box and thought about its contents. "Mmmm."

"I bet you will," replied Biyomon, a large pink bird-like Digimon, "you'll probably keep the whole thing for yourself."

"Hey, I resent that!" retorted Gabumon. "I'm on a diet."

Taichi shifted his attention from the two Digimon back to Sora. "So, Sora are you going to the concert with anyone, not that it matters to me." Taichi half-asked, half-stammered. 'Why can't I be honest? It matters so much to me....' thought Taichi.

"Uh.....I'm waiting to see if Yamato's free afterwards." Sora hesitantly replied.

Taichi's mind accepted what he heard, but......at the same time, his heart rejected and refused to believe it was true. "Oh.....Yamato huh......" was all he could say. His voice dropped slightly from the happier tone he just had. He noticed that Sora tensed a bit and despite his own sadness, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "It's ok."

"You're not mad at me, Taichi?" asked Sora. A hint of worry in her voice.

"Of course not," said Taichi, putting on a smile for her. He then began to move her into the doorway. "Now go in there and say hi to Yamato for me." And he gave her a little shove into the room.

"The least you could do is leave us the cookies!" exclaimed Taichi's Digimon, Agumon, who resembled a large orange lizard.

Sora smiled a little and said, "Tell you what, I'll make a special batch just for you." Then she turned away and headed inside, leaving Taichi and Agumon behind.

With a sad smile, Taichi whispered, "I'll be waiting, thanks."

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Chapter 1-Runaway  
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"Humans can only hide their feelings with a smile for only so long before the mask breaks and reveals the sorrow beneath."

Author note: There will most likely be a theme-quote for each chapter.  
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'I'm still waiting, Sora.' thought Taichi bitterly. For the last two months, he watched his love be held and kissed by his best friend, Ishida Yamato. Though seeing this pained him deeply, he would always smile and look happy for the young couple. After all, they were his best friends.

'Dammit,' he thought to himself, 'If only I had done something earlier, then I might be the one holding her instead of him.'

Having his heartbroken had affected him more greatly than he thought. Taichi had let his grades slip some, he seemed to be on the edge and event he littlest thing could throw him over. Fortunately, he had let his anger out when no one could see. The once happy, hyper, courageous leader had now lost all those qualities and now expressed little emotion. If he showed any, it was grief and grief alone. But when it came to them, he would not show anything other than happiness. He tried the best he could to conceal the truth from them. The anger, the sorrow....they were unknown to the couple, at the least...her. Taichi just didn't want them to fell guilty about destroying his happiness and his heart.

'Better pay attention,' thought Taichi, 'can't let my grades slip anymore than they already have.'

"Man, that was one of the most boring lecture I have ever heard!" Yamato half-exclaimed, half-yawned. Class had just ended and the students were heading to get lunch.

"Actually, I found it quite intriguing." commented Koushiro. "I found the part about molecular-"

"Hey, I got enough of the lecture the first time around, Koushiro." interrupted Yamato. "Besides, you find everything sciencey intriguing."

The pair can't help but laugh at that. A couple of steps behind them walked Taichi, not wanting to join in the conversation. His hung low, eyes staring intensely at the ground, and his thoughts on a certain auburn haired girl and a cold December day.

"Yamato-kun!" yelled a females voice from behind the mass of students.

'Speak of the devil.' thought Taichi.

"Hey Sora-chan." said Yamato, as his girlfriend came up to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Unbeknownst to everyone, Taichi felt a small jab in his heart as she did that.

"Where were you guys planning on eating lunch today?" asked Sora, now holding onto Yamato's arm.

"The roof sound good to you guys?" asked Yamato.

"Prodigious!" responded Koushiro. (Ok, so I'm mixing a bit. Big whoop.)

"Sure...." muttered Taichi.

After grabbing their lunches, the group of four headed to the top of the school. Though the sun was out and shining brightly, the air was crisp and cool. Winter still had its claim on the land.

While Yamato, Sora, and Koushiro sat together, Taichi went to a little isolated area to eat alone. A cold gust of wind blew past them. Sora and Yamato leaned into each other for warmth and Koushiro wrapped his arms himself and shivered. As for Taichi, the cold wind had no bite. He was unfazed by it, for his mind was still off in the painful past.

After a few moments, the trio, who had been in conversation, noticed they were missing one comrade.

"Where's Taichi?" asked Sora, the first to notice that he was gone.

"I came up with us, didn't he?" asked Yamato.

Sora sat her food beside her and stood up. "I'm going to go look for him."

"Okay." replied Koushiro.

After Sora passed out of ear shot range, Koushiro commented, "That's a bit odd."

"Hmm? Oh, You mean Taichi just being by myself." replied Yamato. "You're right. He's been acting different lately."

"You noticed it too?"

"Of course. One day he was normal and the next.....he's like this. To be honest, I think, no, I know it has something to do with Sora and me."

"Yeah." Koushiro turned to look at his friend. "You knew how much Taichi loved Sora, right?"

"Of course I did." sighed Yamato. "I mean you could tell that when we were younger they liked each other. After a while, I could tell Taichi had fallen in love with her. That's why when Sora had come to me on Christmas Eve, I was hesitant to answer. I had feelings for her but I didn't want to hurt Taichi." After a short pause, Yamato started again, "I didn't know if Taichi still loved her or not. He had taken such a long time to ask her out, I guess I figured that his love for her passed, like a crush or something, I don't know........" He sighed heavily and sank in his seat.

Else where on the roof, Sora was looking for Taichi. Suddenly a gust of wind blew by her. She wrapped her arms around herself, closed her eyes, and turned away from the direction of the wind. When she opened her eyes, she saw Taichi standing with his back to her, still unfazed by the cold wind.

"There you are!" exclaimed Sora, "We wondered what happened to you. You just disappeared."

Not wanting to tell her that it hurt to see 'them', Taichi said the first thing that seemed reasonable. "I needed to clear my head. The lecture from the last period was boring."

Sora giggled softly. Whether he tried or not, he could always make her smile and laugh. That was one of the things that she really liked about him. When they were younger, she had missed an important soccer game because her mother didn't want her to play with an injured ankle. Note: Can't remember what it really was.. When she ran out in anger, she ended up at the field at the end of the game. To her despair, she found out that her team had lost. When she needed comfort, Taichi had provided the shoulder to cry on. When her tears finally stopped, he helped to get her feeling better about the whole ordeal.

Sora walked over to his side and looked at him. As she looked at him, Sora noticed something different about him. Taichi's eyes were hollow and dead looking, his face was etched with a type of sorrow she couldn't quite place.

"What's wrong?" asked Sora, concern in her voice. Another gust blew by them but neither of them were fazed. Sora's mind was focused on Taichi. Something was bothering her best friend and nothing else mattered now.

"Nothing." said Taichi. 'You're in love with my best friend and not me.'

"Taichi, we've been best friends for nearly our entire lives. I know when you're lying. Now tell me what's wrong." her tone demanding.

"Nothing's wrong." Taichi's voice was just barely beginning to show a bit of anger. For the last couple of months, he had quarreled with his feelings on Yamato and Sora getting together. He decided not to say anything about it because if they broke up because him, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. Also, if anyone probed to find out what was bugging him, he would develop a short fuse quickly. The subject was something he never wanted to be mentioned again. Now, Sora, the who caused all of this, was probing to find out the painful truth.

"Is this about Yamato-kun and me getting together." Sora asked. She noticed that he tensed slightly upon hearing that. "It is isn't it? Well, what did you expect me to do? You never made an attempt to ask me out! Did you think I would wait forever?"

"Sora, I took so long because I was nervous. I could've wrecked our friendship. Back then, I thought that I could do without you loving me but not having your friendship was an unbearable thought. I just couldn't take that kind of a gamble." His voice reflected the regret he felt. He then smiled a sad smile. "I'd take having a broken heart over not having you as a friend."

Sora stood still, taking in everything he had just said. Deep down she had held on to an anger for Taichi for not taking a chance at "them". Now that she understood why, that anger began to fade from existence.

"Taichi," she began, "do me a favor. Please don't hold to that sadness or regret. Let go of your love for me. I don't want you to be this way." 'It kills me to see you like this, Taichi.' Sora turned around and left to rejoin Yamato and Koushiro.

"Sora," Taichi said to no one, "even if I could let you go, I wouldn't."  
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Indistinct conversations were heard all around as Taichi left the school grounds and began to make his way home. Since lunch ended, the sky had begun to cloud up and now the sky was completely covered. Taichi looked up and thought, 'The weather reflects my mood.' Finding this slightly funny, he laughed internally. 'God, that is sad.'

Taichi, instead of heading straight home, began to head to the center of the city, no where in mind. 'You want me to let you go?' thought Taichi, remembering what Sora said earlier. 'I can't, Sora. The love I have for you won't die.......even if I wanted it to.'

'But holding on will only hurt you and her.' began the part of you mind that always argues your decisions. 'She won't break up Yamato. She found a true happiness with him and she won't leave that just to find out if being you is better.'

'Shut it.' thought Taichi. 'But it does make a point. She won't leave him. Holding on does just hurt me........but how does it hurt her?'

'She's your best friend, remember? She wouldn't want to see you in pain. So, do what she want you to do.'

'But right now......I don't think I can let her go.........'  
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Yagami Residence  
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"Hi, honey." said Mrs. Yagami as Taichi walked in the door. "You're home a little later than usual."

"Yeah, I was taking a walk." responded Taichi quietly. He took off his shoes and set his bag down. "Call me when dinner's ready. I'm going to my room."

"Okay." replied his mom.

Once in his room, Taichi closed his door and fell heavily upon his bed. His thoughts dwelled on what Sora asked him to do.......the impossible, stop loving her. Note: Damn, I keep repeating this, ne?. He heard a knock at his door and the squeak of the hinges as they moved.

"Oniichan?" asked a young girl's voice. (OniichanBig Brother)

"Oh, it's you." mumbled Taichi. His eyes closed and covered by his hand.

Hikari walked over to her brother and sat next to him. For the last couple of months, she watched her brother fall into despair and she felt absolutely powerless to help him. She knew that it had to do with Sora. She noticed the change in her brother after he went to ask Sora out on Christmas Eve. For hurting her brother like this, Hikari never forgave and began to hate Sora, a girl who had once been like an older sister to her. Hikari sensed something else had deepened the wound in his heart while he was at school. She hadn't seen him this down since Christmas Eve.

"Oniichan, what's wrong?" asked Hikari.

"Nothing, imoutochan." Taichi responded, not really bothering. (ImoutochanLittle Sister)

"Oniichan!" exclaimed Hikari. "I know something's wrong! You haven't been the same since Christmas Eve! It's like you're somebody else!" She lay her head onto his chest and let a few tears fall. "I hate seeing you like this!" Then she whispered, "I want my brother back."

A few tears began to flow from Taichi's eyes. 'Great,' he thought, 'now I'm hurting Hikari, too.' Using the hand that covered his eyes, he dried the tears and hugged his crying sister. "Don't cry imoutochan. I'll be alright." Taichi used his right arm to push him and HIkari up. He continued to hold her until her crying began to subside.

"Oniichan?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Hikari looked at her brother now. His eyes were closed and a small smile was on his lips.

"Hai, imoutochan." And he opened his eyes. His voice was soft. "Of course I am."

As Hikari looked at his eyes, she thought, 'No you're not....' She clutched to her brother's shirt and let a few tears slip, 'your eyes reveal the pain you're trying to hide.' What she thought was true. They had no life in them. No fire. Nothing. To see this, saddened Hikari greatly. She felt that she had lost her brother forever.  
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Author Note: Ok, I'm skipping ahead one month because I wouldn't be able to put a decent amount of detail into it. Gomen nasi.  
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-One Month Later-  
  
For the last month, Taichi and Sora had not been on the best terms. She would see that he still avoided her when he could and when they had to be together, he was distant. Truth be told, his actions annoyed her greatly.

'He's acting like a little child.' thought Sora bitterly. 'He needs to quit acting like its painful just to be around me......Just grow up, Taichi.'

Taichi sat on a bench outside of the soccer field. He looked over the field as he remembered back when he and Sora played together on the same team. He did this a lot now. Remembering when Sora and he were closer than they are today brought him some comfort. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see none other than the one he was thinking about.

"Taichi," said Sora, "you haven't let me go, have you?" Sora was trying to keep her voice calm, but she was frustrated and angry with him. She knew he hadn't let go because of his recent behavior.

"Sora, you know I can't."

"Why?!" yelled Sora. Taichi's response had pushed her over the edge. "Why can't you? I'm not going to leave Yamato and you should know it! I did love you but, I got tired of waiting around for you! I waited....."

Sora's words stung Taichi greatly. Along with making him more, her stabs made him angry. He couldn't help it if he still loved her. And he couldn't help expressing emotion. Her words were pushing the right buttons and it was now only a matter of time before he broke.

"....and now you're acting childish and stupid abo-"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Taichi, shocking Sora a bit. His anger had finally been pushed too far.

"What?"

"I said 'Shut up'. You have no idea how much this hurts. I loved you with all my heart and you broke it!"

"I told you I was tired of waiting around for you! I wasn't going to hang onto a hopeless love when I had a chance for happiness!"

Their argument continued like this for some time before Taichi turned to leave and go home. "I've had enough of this."

In her angry, Sora shouted out her finishing words, meant to severely hurt Taichi.

"I hope you feel that way for the rest of your life!"

Taichi stopped dead in his tracks. Confident that she had succeeded, Sora was about to leave when she heard him begin to speak.

"You hope I feel this way forever?" Taichi's voice cold. He began to turn to look at her. "For every moment of pain I felt because of you," his voice and his eyes reflected the pure hate and spite he felt toward her, "I want you to someday experience _every second_ I had to suffer through." And then he turned and walked away, leaving Sora feeling scared and shaken to the core. She had never though she would see him give her that kinda of look. She sat uncertainly down on the bench and began to cry.  
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"Dammit!!" shouted Taichi as he punched a tree. He had wound up in the park after leaving sora at the soccer field. His anger for the girl was still boiling high. His fist was beginning to bleed and bruise from hitting the tree, but he struck at it again, not caring about the pain he felt as flesh collided rough bark.

'I can't stay here.' thought Taichi. 'It's only going to like this or worse from now on.' He began to walk towards a swing set. 'I have no chance with her. This anger will probably surface again just be the mere mention of her!' He grabbed a swing and sat down. 'If I continue to show my feelings, I'll only get harassed more. If I try to bottle them up, I might do something unforgivable. There's nothing to gain here.' His eyes fell upon the ground. 'Maybe somewhere else. Here, I'm unhappy......all because of her. Maybe somewhere else, I can find peace.'

'Are you sure?' asked that voice. 'Everything else is going good. You'd runaway over something as small as this?'

'Yes. It's not small and by far it blocks everything enjoyable from my sight.' Taichi couldn't believe what he was thinking. 'I'm going to........'

Runaway.

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End of chapter one.

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Ok. I finally finished this chapter. It took forever. An interesting fact: I wrote the ending at midnight. With any luck I'll have chapter two up by the end of the weekend. Thanks for reading this. Please review. Sorry if at some points the story is weak. I hit some really big writer's blocks.

Next:

Chapter Two: Easier to Run

P.S. Most of the chapters have a song that inspired it. I name them in the chapters. Thanks once again.


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